BATON ROUGE — Louisiana Community and Technical Colleges President Richard Nelson says that his vision for the future of Louisiana's 12 community and technical colleges involves, among other things, expanding access to the schools and aligning the programs offered with Louisiana's workforce and economic priorities.

Nelson's five-point plan includes the following: 

- Expanding access, awareness and opportunity by reaching more Louisianans in high schools, adult education and the workforce.
- Connecting students to success through stronger advising, streamlined enrollment, expanded childcare and transportation and efforts to reduce student debt.
- Aligning programs with Louisiana's workforce and economic priorities to ensure credentials lead to meaningful careers and continued educational opportunities.
- Partnering with employers, universities, K-12 schools, corrections and philanthropic organizations to expand pathways to education and employment.
- Delivering greater value for Louisiana through operational efficiency, technology modernization, strategic facilities investments and advocacy for sustained workforce funding.

The full proposal can be found here.

"Louisiana is experiencing a once-in-a-generation opportunity, and our community and technical colleges have an enormous role to play in making sure that opportunity reaches people in every corner of our state," Nelson said. "Over the past six months, I've listened to the people we serve and the partners who depend on us. What I heard was remarkably consistent: they believe deeply in the work of our colleges, and they expect us to do more. These priorities give us a clear direction for meeting that moment."

Nelson said that, during the 2025-26 school year, LCTC awarded 52,912 credentials to 41,076 completers, with nearly 20,000 graduates entering high-demand occupations.